DEAR NELLIE: Your nice little letter, so jolly, confiding, and free,

The postman (the handsome one, Nellie!) brought early this morning to me.

And, darling, I really and truly, in all my acquaintance with you,

Never had such an elegant treat, dear, as I did while reading it thro'.

O Nellie, I wish you were with me; you never can guess all the larks,

And the scrapes that the girls have at school here quite eclipse all our fun in the Parks.

There's lots of nice fellows in town, too, and some of 'em awfully "squee,"

And one, in particular, (must I confess?) is terribly sweet over me.

He's tall, dark, and then he's so handsome, and, O, such a fellow to train,

I met him that evening that papa came over, you know, in the rain.

He sends me bouquets and the choicest of Reymot's best chocolate creams,

And (Nellie, now is n't he horrid?) he "hopes he 'II be near in my dreams."

You should see the letters he writes me, O, so fervent and loving, you know,

How he'd tear up the mountains to win me, and - (Do, Nell, stop laughing now so!)

Of course I don't care for his nonsense, still it passes the time away here,

And Madame is never the wiser, so where is the harm, Nellie dear?

Now, I've nothing to tell you, my darling, nothing new in the sensation way,

For I wrote you that little elopement about Fan and Augustus Dufais.

But really, now, was n't it funny? for Fan, dear, is terribly prim,

And was always telling the girls here she "never could see much in him."

You remember Marion Ray, dear, you met at the Grand Army Ball,

Who wore the elegant bracelets, but whose chignon was terribly small;

Her father's a member of Congress, and sends her beautiful things, -

O Nellie, you never, never saw such exquisite diamond rings!

Well, he sent her a box the other day, and Marion asked us in,

On the sly, you know, for Madame thinks a box is an awful sin.

We stopped the key-hole, shut the blinds, and turned the gas on mild,

And the way the top of that box came off would have made my Nellie wild.

Champagne? Don't mention it, Nellie dear, we had a bottle apiece,

And smuggled the rest to our private rooms and sipped to Madame's demise.

It was naughty, darling, I know you 'II say; but, Nell, if you ever go

To a boarding-school - But never mind, perhaps some day you 'll know.

We feasted and trained till after ten, and then hid the box away,

So Madame's prying eyes would n't get any signs the following day;

But they did, we don't know how, dear, but Marion, Cora, and I

Were called into Madame's parlor, next morning, - I thought I should die!

Such an awful scolding you never heard; poor Madame talked herself hoarse,

And Marion, Cora, and I took it all very meekly, - a matter of course.

But we can't go to walk or drive, you know, for two or three weeks or more,

We're under a monitor now, and O dear, it's a terrible bore!

But now, my darling, I leave you, I really must did you adieu;

Do write me a splendid letter, and tell me whatever is new;

Remember me lovingly, please, to all, - especially Charles, you know,

While with heaps and heaps of kisses and love I remain your affectionate Flo.

P. S. I nearly forgot to say, if you get your trimmings blue

Instead of gray, and there's any left, send me a sample, - do!

P. S. again. By the way, darling, never mind that message for Joe,

And be sure you remember the ribbon. Adieu, - pleasant dreams, - ever, Flo.

WALLINGFORD.